Crimson Shadow
by RurouniGirl
Summary: This is yet another AU GW fic. Wufei is a Drow who is cursed. Trowa, Heero, Duo, and Quatre are the Elves that befriend him. I suck at summaries, so...They have a ton of adventures together. There's magic, dragons, evil villain. Revised! Chapter 4 up! rr
1. Chapter 1

A/N- well, here's yet another one of my stories. It's AU, of course, lol...the Gundam boys are ELVES!!! Anyway, hope you like.  
  
Crimson Shadow: Part 1  
  
By: RurouniGirl  
  
Wufei winced as he wiped the fresh blood from the cut on his cheek. He had gotten used to the pain a long time ago, so he really didn't feel any pain, but wincing was an automatic reflex. He sighed and leaned back against a tree trunk. 'Bad idea,' he thought as pain seared through his back. He moved away from the tree and carefully lay down on the softer moss.  
  
He looked up toward the sky, but couldn't see the bright blue because of the trees. He lived in the very center of the forest where the trees grew so thick it blocked all sunlight from shining through. He could hear the birds chirping cheerfully, knew that the sun was shining brightly, and heard the stream bubbling merrily. This usually cheered him up, but today it didn't. He sighed once again and pushed himself to his feet. He almost lost his footing as his injured leg nearly gave out on him when he had put his full weight on it.   
  
He slowly made his way further away. He wanted to get as far away form his home as possible. He couldn't stand it anymore. All the hate...the abuse...it was all getting to be too much for him. He had dealt with the pain long enough. He just wanted it to all stop.  
  
The truth was that he was an outcast. He was born a Drow...a Dark Elf, yet he was only a Drow in appearance. He had the black skin of a Drow and his long hair was silver streaked through with black, yet in his heart he was kind and gentle, not hateful and evil. That's why he was an outcast. His family had tried to make him act more like a Drow by beating him and making him tougher. He had learned a long time ago that his family didn't love him. If he were to die right then they wouldn't even miss him. It would be a relief to them...he was only a burden.  
  
He kept wandering aimlessly until he realized that he didn't know where he was anymore. He saw traces of sunlight shining faintly but he just shrugged and kept moving, staying mostly to the shadows as went. His injured leg was starting to shake with the burden placed upon it. He could feel it start to give out, but he kept pushing on. He had to go as far as he could.   
  
He began to sweat; yet he wasn't hot. Chills kept running up and down his body. He knew that he probably had a fever and that many of his cuts were probably infected by now, but he didn't care. He kept moving until he finally felt that he couldn't go any further. He felt his leg give out and he collapsed into a world of darkness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wufei kept going in and out of consciousness, but he was never fully aware. He could hear voices as if from a distance and could make out blurred forms standing above him. It was almost a week later when he finally regained full consciousness. He blinked to clear his vision and looked around him.   
  
He was in a small room. In it were a chair, a table, and the bed he was in. A fire blazed brightly in the fireplace across the room. In the chair beside his bed was a young blonde haired boy. He was sitting in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest and sleeping soundly. Wufei wondered how long he had been there.  
  
"You're finally awake," said a quiet voice.  
  
His eyes moved to a tall figure standing in a corner of the room. Wufei hadn't seen him before because he had been hidden in the shadows.   
  
A pair of bright green eyes, a small smile, and brown hair were revealed as he stepped into the firelight. As he moved over to the bed Wufei got a glimpse of a long, pointed ear. 'So these are elves,' he thought. 'Why are they helping me? Drows are their enemies.'   
  
He slowly sat up. The pain was still there, but considerable less than it had been before. He turned his head toward the tall boy standing in the firelight.   
  
"Why are you helping me?" he asked curiously.  
  
The other boy's eyes lit up with amusement. "Why wouldn't we help you?" he said. "Did you expect us to just leave you lying in the woods, as badly as you were hurt? You could have died."  
  
Wufei shrugged. "It wouldn't have mattered if I had died," he whispered to himself. He looked back over at the boy. "I'm a Drow," he said. "I thought Drows were the enemies of all Elves."  
  
The other boy smiled and shrugged. "I don't care that you're a Drow and neither do the others," he said. "I'm Trowa, by the way."  
  
Wufei was shocked to actually find a friend in an Elf. "I'm Wufei," he said. "And did you say others?"  
  
Trowa nodded. "Yes, myself, Quatre," he said, motioning to the blond boy sleeping in the chair, "and Heero and Duo."  
  
  
  
It took a minute for this to sink in. "You mean that there are others who don't care if I'm a Drow?"  
  
Trowa nodded. "Yes, there are others. Too few, in my opinion, but you will find that you have some friends here."  
  
"But, how did you know that when I woke up I wouldn't try to harm you?" Wufei asked.  
  
"Because," Trowa explained, "Quatre is somewhat empathetic. He knew that you had a kind heart and wouldn't try to harm us."  
  
Wufei sighed and collapsed back onto the bed. All this talking had exhausted what little strength he had.   
  
"You should rest some more. You're wounds still have a long way to go before they are completely healed. We'll have more time to talk later. In the mean time, try to get some sleep, ok?" Trowa said.  
  
Wufei nodded and closed his eyes. In a matter of seconds he was fast asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
When Wufei finally woke again, faint sunlight filtered throught the shutters on the windows and nobody was in the room. He slowly sat up and got out of the bed. He looked down at the baggy tunic he was wearing. As he looked around the room, he saw his own clothes sitting on the chair beside the bed. He went over and found that they were clean and mended.  
  
He quickly pulled on the pants and tunic and laced up his boots. He looked around and found a leather string on the table. He used it to pull his hair neatly back into a ponytail.  
  
He hesitated a second before leaving the room. He wasn't sure what awaited him outside the quiet sanctuary of the room, but he had to go. He slowly pushed the door open and stepped into the next room. He winced as his eyes were assaulted by bright sunlight. He was a Drow and Drow's didn't like sunlight. They lived in the deepest, darkest part of the forest and avoided any sunlight. As he began to get accustomed to the sunlight he realized that he wasn't alone. He looked up and was greeted by a pair of shining violet eyes and a big grin.   
  
"Hey, your finally awake. I was starting to worry that you might have gone into a coma or something," he said cheerfully.  
  
Wufei couldn't help but grin. The other boy's grin widened even more and he held out his hand.  
  
"I'm Duo. Pleased to meet you."   
  
Wufei took the hand hesitantly. "I'm Wufei," he said quietly.  
  
Duo smiled. "You hungry? Lunch is just about ready."  
  
Wufei shrugged. The truth was he hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. He had learned to ignore the hunger.   
  
"Well, you should eat something. You're nothing but skin and bones," he said, a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
Wufei shrugged again and moved toward the table. However, before he reached the table he stumbled and gasped as he collapsed to the ground. Everything was spinning around his head and he felt like he was floating in mid-air. He fought to remain conscious, but to no avail and he slipped back into the darkness.  
  
Author's Notes: So, what do you think? What's your verdict? Is it good? Bad? Please review and let me know. RurouniGirl 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Hey, I'm back with a new chapter to this story. I've finally decided the pairings, but I'm not gonna tell you what they are. Mwahahahahaah. You're just going to have to read and find out. Remember to review! ^_~  
  
Crimson Shadow: Part 2  
  
By: RurouniGirl  
  
Duo rushed forward and caught Wufei's limp body before he hit the ground. "Heero! Trowa! Quatre!" he called. "Come quick!"  
  
The three boys rushed inside at his frantic cry. "What happened?" asked Quatre.  
  
Duo shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "One minute he was walking toward the table and the next, he was falling to the ground."  
  
Trowa walked over and gently lifted the Drow into his arms. He placed him back in bed and Heero came over to stand beside him.  
  
Wufei's body was shaking violently. Heero placed his hand on Wufei's forehead. His skin was cold and clammy.  
  
He looked up at the others. "It looks like a curse," he said. "But I've never seen anything like it before."   
  
"Well what do you think it's for? Why would someone want to curse Wufei?" asked Quatre.  
  
Wufei's quiet, hoarse voice cut into their thoughts. "Because...I...ran...away," he gasped. The pain searing through his body was incredible yet he still managed to block most of it out. He sat up slowly. He felt dizzy for a moment, but it passed quickly. Slowly, he got to his feet.  
  
Heero rushed forward. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You should stay in bed. We don't even know what kind of curse it is."   
  
Wufei looked at Heero and smiled wryly. "I do," he said. "It's an ancient Drow curse. We don't use it very often, but when we do, the person being cursed will definitely know." He started to walk towards the door but almost fell as his legs gave out. Trowa caught him and held him up. Wufei smiled. "Thanks, Trowa." He motioned to everyone else to follow. "Come on," he said. "I'll show you."  
  
He slowly made his way outside, cringing momentarily in the sunlight. The other's watched in silence as he moved forward and his body was bathed in sunlight. He turned toward them and pointed down. They're eyes followed his finger and what they saw made them gasp in astonishment. Wufei's shadow was no longer black, as a shadow should be, but it was now blood red.  
  
"This," he said, "is the mark of the Curse of Exilation."  
  
Heero pulled his eyes away from the shadow and looked up at Wufei's face. "The Curse of Exilation?" he asked.  
  
Wufei nodded. "Yes. As I said...it's an ancient Drow curse. We only use it when a Drow commits the most serious of crimes."  
  
"Most serious of crimes?" asked Quatre, his voice quivering slightly.  
  
"Yes," Wufei said. "I ran away. I abandoned the order. I have committed the most serious crime any Drow could ever commit." He hung his head. "I have been exiled and punished in the most horrible way possible."  
  
Duo gulped. "And the 'most horrible way possible' is?"   
  
Wufei tried to smile but failed miserably. "Eternal pain," he said softly. "I will spend the rest of my life suffering painfully until my shadow is returned to its original color."  
  
"And how can it be returned to its original color?" asked Trowa.  
  
"There are two ways in which you can break the curse," explained Wufei. "The first is to kill the person who cursed you. The second is unknown. It was lost centuries ago and nobody was ever able to discover what it was."  
  
Heero stood there pondering. "Has anyone who was cursed ever tried to kill the person who cursed them?" he asked curiously.  
  
Wufei snorted. "Oh, they tried," he said. "But their bodies were to weak from the pain inflicted on them by the curse that they failed miserably."  
  
The others stood around Wufei not knowing what to do. A few moments passed and then Trowa's head snapped up.   
  
"We'd better get inside," he said quickly. "I don't like the looks of this."  
  
They turned to see what Trowa was looking at. A crowd of very hostile looking Elves was marching toward their small group.   
  
"So it is true," said a tall Elf, with long blond hair.  
  
"You are taking care of a Drow," said a second Elf.   
  
"This is outrageous," yelled another, his face red with anger.  
  
The mob of angry Elves began to shout, making angry gestures, and trying to pull out weapons.  
  
"SILENCE!"  
  
Everyone fell silent as a tall, commanding Elf, very handsome and noble looking, pushed his way to the front of the crowd. He looked around him and shook his head, an amused smile on his face.  
  
"That's better," he said turning toward the mob of Elves. "Now, explain yourselves."  
  
The Elf that had first spoken stepped forward. "They are assisting a Drow," he spat out angrily. "We were merely trying to dispose of the disgusting creature," he said, and many of the Elves about him mumbled their agreement.  
  
Wufei visibly winced as he was referred to as "disgusting creature." He swallowed hard fighting back an incredible wave of pain that was coursing through his body and forcing away the tears that threatened to fall. He gasped and fell forward as a burning pain seared through his body, making him tremble and sweat. He drew painful breaths, gasping for air.  
  
The crowd of Elves suddenly fell silent as they watched his body trembling because of the pain, sweat pouring down his face, his body hanging off of Trowa's shoulder for support. He slowly straightened and pushed Trowa away, swaying on his feet for a moment, but then forcing himself to stay steady. He stood there, in as much pain as he was, and faced the angry crowd.  
  
He smiled sadly. "If you feel the need to dispose of this 'disgusting creature,'" he said, tears streaming down his face, "then do so," he said quietly, fighting to remain on his feet. He held out his arms, offering a clear shot for anyone who wanted to strike. "Go on," he said. "Kill me, if you wish. Put an end to my meaningless life. Take all my pain away, if you dare."  
  
The Elves stared at him, none quite sure of what they should do. Slowly, they broke up, each going back to his home. The Elf who had first spoken gave him one last glare before whirling around and storming off.   
  
Wufei sighed as he collapsed to the ground. Heero hurried over and helped lift him into a sitting position. He smiled down at Wufei.  
  
"That took a lot of courage," he said, pride in his voice and on his face. "That was Zechs. He's the best hunter in this village and top rank soldier, besides me that is," he said, his eyes twinkling with laughter.  
  
"Yes," said the Elf who had silenced the crowd earlier. "That was a very brave thing you did. Foolish, but brave. Not many people can dissuade Zechs out of a kill once he's set his eye on the prey."  
  
Wufei tried to smile, but winced instead as a sharp pain shot through his head. He pushed himself to his feet, Heero scurrying up to help support him. Wufei slumped against his shoulder gratefully.  
  
"Come on," Heero said gently. "You need to lay down."  
  
The other Elf came forward and helped support Wufei as they made their way toward the house. "I'm Treize," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "I am the chieftain of this village. I am sorry you we're treated so badly," he said, a deep sadness visible in his eyes, "but the feud between the Drows and the Elves had lasted for many centuries and many find it hard to push their differences aside and become friends once again."  
  
Wufei shook his head. "It's all right," he said. "If my clan couldn't accept me how can I expect anyone else to?" He sighed and hung his head, trying to hide the fresh tears that were falling.   
  
Quatre flung himself at Wufei, hugging him tightly. "I can't understand how anyone could treat a member of their own family in such a horrible way," he said, as he held Wufei in a tight embrace, trying to comfort him. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you," he said, tears streaming down his face.   
  
Wufei pulled away from Quatre and smiled down at the blond boy. "Don't be sorry. I can handle the pain far better than anyone else I know," he said softly. "I have spent my whole life pushing my pain away, and I will keep on doing just that until I am able to break this curse," he said.  
  
Trowa took Quatre by the shoulders and gently led him away. Heero and Treize continued to support Wufei as they entered the house and made their way to the bedroom. They laid him gently on the bed and watched as he sank into an exhausted sleep. Heero shook his head, smiling sadly.  
  
"I feel so helpless," he said to Treize. "I wish there was something I could do, but even I cannot break this curse. It is far too powerful even for my powers."  
  
Treize smiled down at him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll be just fine. And right now you are doing the one thing that can help him. You are being his friend. And right now, he really needs friends."  
  
Heero sighed and leaned his head on Treize's shoulder. "I know. I just feel like I'm useless. What's the use of having powers if you can't use them to help the people you care about?"  
  
Treize put his arm around Heero's shoulder and pulled him closer to his body. "I know. It's frustrating, but trust me...you're doing the best you can and that's all that matters."  
  
Heero leaned up and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks," he said in a whisper. "That means a lot."  
  
Treize smiled and turned to take one last look at Wufei before leaving the room. Wufei was sleeping soundly, but his face was contorted in pain, and he moaned softly. Treize shook his head. 'Yes, Quatre was right. How could anyone be so cruel? And how could everyone be so prejudice? When would all the madness end? He didn't know. Nobody knew. And that thought scared him.'  
  
Author's Notes: so, that's the end of part 2. What do you think? Please be honest. Good or bad? Please review and let me know. RurouniGirl 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Well, thanks for all your positive reviews. That means a lot and I'm assuming from your reviews that you all like this story so far. ^_~ Anywayz, I wont keep you in suspense. Read on!  
  
Crimson Shadow: Part 3  
  
By: RurouniGirl  
  
Duo sat sleeping in the chair beside Wufei's bed. He had been there all night and had finally quit worrying long enough to fall asleep. His fitful sleep didn't last long, however. He was soon awake and worrying again. He had known that the other Elves wouldn't take kindly to a Drow in their midst, but he hadn't expected them to storm over in an angry mob and try to kill him. He sighed and turned to look at Wufei.  
  
The young boy was sleeping in what appeared to be a peaceful manner, except for the ragged sound of his breathing and the sweat glistening on his body. Duo stood up and walked over to the nightstand. He dipped a rag into a basin of cool water and placed it on Wufei's forehead. The sleeping boy stirred and slowly opened his eyes. A small smile spread across his face and he laughed softly.  
  
"For a moment I thought you we're an angel," he said, laughter in his voice.  
  
Duo grinned. "Not an angel. Just an Elf," he replied. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Wufei shrugged. "Surprisingly, a little better."  
  
Duo nodded. "That's good. Are you hungry?" he asked, standing and stretching his aching muscles. 'That chair wasn't the most comfortable place to fall asleep,' he thought, laughing silently to himself.  
  
Wufei nodded. "A little," he said. "To be honest, it's been months since I've had a descent meal. I almost forget what food tastes like."  
  
"That's horrible," Duo exclaimed. "I'll get some food and be right back," he said as he exited the room.  
  
Wufei smiled, shaking his head. 'That Duo is something else,' he thought. 'He's so different from anyone I've ever met, even Quatre, Trowa, Heero, and Treize. He's always so happy and cheerful, no matter what. And he doesn't seem to care what others think. He does what he wants even if it means breaking a few rules.'   
  
A few minutes later Duo entered the room carrying a tray filled with enough food to feed an army. "Here you go," he said, placing the tray in front of Wufei. "Eat up," he said cheerfully.  
  
Wufei shook his head and laughed. "I don't think I need this much food," he said. "This is enough to feed an army. I'm just one person."  
  
"Well, just eat what you can and I'll finish what you can't," Duo replied with a wink.  
  
Wufei smiled as he began to eat. The food tasted so good. He hadn't had a meal this good in such a long time. He ate slowly, relishing the taste. All the while, Duo simply sat watched. He began to hum to himself as he sat there and then to sing softly.   
  
"May it be an evening star  
  
Shines down upon you  
  
May it be when darkness falls  
  
Your heart will be true  
  
You walk a lonely road  
  
Oh! How far are you from home  
  
Mornie utúlie  
  
Believe and you will find your way  
  
Mornie alantie   
  
A promise lives within you now" [1]  
  
"That's a beautiful song," Wufei said. "You have a wonderful voice."   
  
Duo blushed slightly and smiled. "Thank you," he said. He had momentarily forgotten Wufei was in the room. He didn't like to sing in front of people. He may be a very outgoing person, but when it came to singing in front of anyone, no matter what that person was, he was a nervous wreck. "I forgot you were here," he said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
Wufei grinned. "You know," he said looking at Duo, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "you look kind of cute when you're blushing."  
  
At this, Duo's face turned an even deeper shade of red, which in turn, caused Wufei to laugh. His laughter stopped abruptly as another wave of immense pain seared through his body, making it almost impossible for Wufei to even breathe. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was Duo frantically calling his name.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Duo looked up as Heero entered the room. Heero was the best healer in the village, but even he wasn't powerful enough to get rid of Wufei's pain. All he could do was lessen it enough so that he could breath again and give him something to help him sleep. He shook his head as he sat down across from Duo.  
  
"This doesn't look good," he said. "We have to do something before this curse kills him."   
  
Duo sighed. "But we can't do anything. The only way stop the pain is to break the curse."  
  
"Then we'll just have to go and break the curse," said Trowa as he walked into the house. "We take Wufei back, help him the break the curse, and everything's ok."  
  
"Do you really think that will work," asked Treize, coming up behind Trowa.  
  
Trowa shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "But we have to try."  
  
"Trowa's right," said Heero, looking at Treize. "We have to try. If we don't then Wufei could die."  
  
[1] "May it Be" does not belong to me. It belongs to Enya and Roma Ryan who composed, wrote, and performed it for the movie Lord of the Rings.  
  
Author's Notes: ok, well that's a wrap on another chapter. Opinions please. Review. RurouniGirl 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- I finally got rid of that writer's block, again, lol. So here's chapter 4. Enjoy!  
  
Crimson Shadow: Part 4  
  
By: RurouniGirl  
  
Wufei looked around him still in shock. The small group stood outside the house ready to depart. He shook his head, still confused. "All of you are going to help me break the curse? But why?"  
  
"Because you're our friends," Quatre said. "And we want to help you any way we can." Trowa nodded his agreement.  
  
"Besides," replied Heero with a smirk. "I have to come along to take care of you. As your healer, I insist."  
  
Wufei laughed. "I suppose you're right, Heero. Where would I be without my very own rent-a-healer," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm, eyes sparkling with merriment.  
  
Heero grinned and Quatre and Trowa chuckled quietly. Treize smiled cheerfully and put his arm around Heero's shoulder. "Shall we be off?" he asked. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can break the curse."  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement and they headed out. It would take about two days to travel to the center of the forest. Wufei hadn't realized it, but he had traveled quite a long way before he had collapsed and Quatre had found him. The sunlight slowly disappeared as they traveled deeper into the forest. The trees began to grow closer together.  
  
They slept restlessly surrounded by shadows and watching eyes (animals lurking in the shadows) and were up early to continue on their way. By mid- afternoon the forest was so dark you could barely see your hand in front of your face and the trees grew so close together it was almost suffocating.  
  
Wufei sighed and a shiver ran down his spine. "We're almost there," he whispered quietly. "Be very quiet and stay in the trees. We don't want to alert them to our presence. Not just yet, anyway."  
  
Everyone nodded as they followed behind Wufei. They stopped at the edge of the trees, just as he had instructed them to do and waited. The village was quiet, as it always was, and completely dark, as it always was. Wufei shuddered as he remembered the years he had spent living in this cold, dark village.  
  
As the Elves watched they realized that people were moving about the village. They were nearly invisible because of their dark skin and dark clothes. The only thing that was visible was the small glow from white or silver hair.  
  
"How do you know who cursed you?" Treize whispered into Wufei's ear.  
  
Wufei shrugged. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I guess I just watch and see. Not the most time efficient, but a good way to pick up hints. I'm assuming it was somebody in my family. I just have to watch and see which one it was."  
  
Treize nodded and they continued to watch the activity of the village. As night was falling (or so they estimated.they weren't completely sure because it was so dark in this part of the forest) Wufei motioned for the group to follow him.  
  
He slowly crept out of the shadows and toward his house. As he reached the doorway, he motioned for Heero and Treize to follow, and the other to wait outside. He pushed open the door and silently entered the house.  
  
He slowly crept from room to room, looking in hopes of finding a clue. He found nothing until he came to the room of his oldest brother, which was empty. He entered, searching for clothes and other necessary personal belongings. They were gone.  
  
Wufei retreated to his own room, gathering some of his belongings that he would need. He rejoined Heero and Treize carrying a pack. "Just one more thing," he whispered.  
  
He returned to his brothers empty room, taking a small ring from the desk drawer. He smiled and the three left the house, returning to Quatre, Trowa, and Duo. It wasn't until they were at a safe distance from the village that Wufei stopped.  
  
He clutched his side tightly, eyes gleaming in pain.pain and triumph. Triumph shone through, causing the pain to fade slightly. "I know who it is," he said breathlessly. "It is my brother."  
  
Author's Notes: Well, what's the verdict for this chappie? Again, sorry it took so long to update. Next chapter is almost halfway done, so it should be posted soon. ^_^ Review. RurouniGirl 


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